21 // Need breakfast ideas with protein that aren’t eggs, yogurt, or a smoothie?
Need breakfast ideas with protein that aren’t eggs, yogurt, or a smoothie?
5 FAST & EASY hacks to add protein to breakfast (when you kid is either running behind or only eats a few bites)
A mom in my FREE Facebook group asked, "What are some easy breakfast ideas that aren't eggs, yogurt, or smoothies?" Another mom then chimed in to ask, "What are healthy breakfast ideas that are quick and easy on those mornings your child doesn't have time to eat before they head out the door?"
This week's Meals Made Easy Monday episode shares just that! With five fast and easy hacks to add more protein at breakfast (without relying on eggs, yogurt, or smoothies), you will walk away from this episode with new ideas in your AM arsenal.
Listen to this episode of The Veggies & Virtue Podcast now!
Full Episode Transcription
Please note this a raw transcription. If something doesn’t read correctly, toggle to that timestamp in the show so that you can listen in on what was actually being said!
[00:00:00] Mama, are you struggling with how to feed your kids? Right? Do you wish that there was a way to help your child try new foods? Do you look at a pantry cluttered with pirate, booty and a fridge full of the same food every week and wonder how you're going to get your family's meals off the hot mess express.
[00:00:16] I know what it feels like to scroll through all the feeding accounts on Instagram and to see a bunch of Fuji food that my family would never eat. And I too have pinned all the healthy recipes with good intention. But zero execution. I understand as a busy mom of three, that it can feel really unattainable, especially on the days when I'm exhausted.
[00:00:34] I have a short fuse. He really disliked an easy button and the date way. Well, that's where these meals made easy episode ideas come from with everyday ingredients that you already have on hand, I give you one meal or snack idea week that's dietician, mom approved, and is going to fit in your family's busy life.
[00:00:52] So get ready to press, add to cart and to make meals. Again, Hey there. And welcome back to a meals made easy Monday episodes. I want to jump right in and share with you guys a question that I got over on my Facebook group, simple meal and snack ideas for kids. It's a new group. I recently started knowing that some moms connect more on Facebook than on Instagram, and just wanted to make sure that I was available for all of you.
[00:01:20] And so feel free to jump over to simple meal and snack ideas for kids. You'll see my profile picture. And come and join us for the conversations that we're having in that Facebook group, if you'd like to, and you're active on Facebook, but two moms in that group actually asked me a question. I thought they kind of went hand in hand for today's episode.
[00:01:38] As we dive into meals, made easy ideas for. The first question of which was she's actually a dietician mom, but specializes in a different area than I do. And Sarah had asked me for some higher protein breakfast ideas that aren't eggs, yogurt, or smoothies. And since we spent the last two Meals made easy episodes on breakfast, talking about eggs before Easter.
[00:02:02] And then recently we talked about yogurt. I thought that, well, I could go into lots of episodes also on smoothies. I wanted to go ahead and address her question specifically for the higher protein breakfast, piggybacking on this and other mom in the same thread. Laura had asked for breakfast ideas that she can grab on her way out the door when she doesn't have time to make breakfast, because let's say.
[00:02:25] I child melted down for 20 minutes about what they were wearing. So I want to capitalize on both of those questions today with five fast hacks for adding more protein to busy weekday mornings. So whether this is still the school year or you're getting into summer mode, I know for us, like we have swim team, so my kids do need to have something in their belly, but it's early.
[00:02:47] And sometimes, you know, a high protein breakfast, as we often think about it is just not in the cards. So today I'm going to run through. A high level overview of what your kids' protein needs even are. So we can kind of reset our expectations on how much protein they may need at breakfast. And then give you five really fast tacks for adding more protein to that early morning in a rushed breakfast.
[00:03:11] So first and foremost, This needs to be a full podcast episode to come in and of itself on the protein needs of young kids. But as parents, when we're used to train to, you know, meet, like, let's say some parents, especially if it's maybe a parent who is more familiar with macros and things like that, maybe trying to get like 20 or 30 grams of protein in per meal.
[00:03:32] And where we as parents need to reset our expectations is this is more than our kids need in an entire day. And so for the most high level simplicity, Intention of today's episode. I want you to think about your kids' protein needs depending on their agent's stage. But most young kids let's say from like two to six need, roughly 13 to 19 grams of protein.
[00:03:55] So for the purposes of this episode, I'm going to go with at least 15 to 20 grams of protein per day, that is per 24 hours. So if we break that down into meals or meals and snacks, That really works out to be three to four grams per meal or snack, or if say they're having no protein at snacks, that'd be like five or six grams per meal.
[00:04:19] And so that is a lot more manageable with what our kids would often consume. And so I want to give you five fast taps to get around five grams of protein. In that really easy every day, early morning breakfast idea, the first of which being to add seats y'all know. I love the idea of using an old spice container or an old sprinkle shaker to add ground flax seeds, hemp parts, chia seeds.
[00:04:47] Kids can find this really engaging, but our target here is that one tablespoon of flax seeds, hemp. Or chia seeds we'll have around three to four grams of added protein. So while I know Sarah wanted ideas outside of smoothies, and I do think seeds are excellent smoothies and same with sprinkling them on yogurt.
[00:05:05] I think that's an excellent idea when we're looking at adding protein to some of the things we may not think of. We're going to think about some of the recipes to come and how we could be adding seeds to those things. As a way to just get in that little boost of protein, that'll really help our kids meet their.
[00:05:23] Additionally, we want to think about with all of these, you're going to be hearing me continue to emphasize that we're really optimizing each bite because this isn't about pressuring our kids to eat more in terms of volume. It's about as the nutritional gatekeepers, thinking about how can we get more nutrition in each bite that they do eat.
[00:05:40] So even if our kid only has time for, let's say three bites of something in the morning before they leave for school or for swim team or whatever it may be, they at least got as much nutrition. And in this case, protein as. So, additionally, I want you to think about if you can use a milk and this could be a cow's milk or a milk alternative that has protein in it, but just a half a cup, or let's say four hours.
[00:06:03] Of a milk or a higher protein milk. Alternative is going to give you four grams of protein as well. So this might be something like you're making overnight oats. If you need it to be like ready to go and don't have to wait for it to cool down or to cook in the morning, or you might be making like a fresh oatmeal and using oat, or excuse me, using milk instead of water.
[00:06:24] Additionally, you, when you're making a batter like a pancake batter or a waffle batter or a muffin matter, if it calls for a liquid like a water. Consider how you could swap out milk for just a little bit added protein to that given item. And that leads us into the third idea for a fast tack for added protein and that's to you, something like a high protein pancake waffle or muffin mix.
[00:06:48] Some of the most well-known ones on the market are like virtue vendors or Kodiak cakes. Some of these products do have added protein packs. So you might also want to make your own, if that's something that you want to avoid with your kid, it can be safe for kids to have these. I traditionally like the find protein from whole food sources first and foremost, if possible.
[00:07:08] Since we're gluten. We do a lot of gluten-free in my home. A lot of times I'll use like a simple mills and then I'll use these strategies that I was already talking about to add seeds and then use something like a ripple milk that has added protein. It's a pea protein milk, so that we're boosting the protein in something like a pancake or a waffle or a muffin, which is super quick, easy grab and go.
[00:07:30] 10 seconds to reheat in the mornings. That's one of our absolute go tos. Also something even like a cottage cheese pancake. I know it sounds weird, but don't knock it until you've tried it. If another great high protein option. Fourth, I would suggest using nut butters, anything and everything you can, if you're smearing it on a banana, if your kid would have buttered toast, go ahead and butter it for the added calories and then put nut butter and jam or honey, if they want on it.
[00:07:56] And you could even put peanut butter on that. But nut butter is a great way to also add some protein, whether you're mixing it in your muffin batter, or your pancake batter. Or you're overnight oats or oatmeal, or you're smearing it on some toast super quick, easy cost-effective way to go. That can also be a grab and go.
[00:08:14] Last, but not least one of my go tos is if my kids can even only have a banana in the morning, or like any bar, maybe a bar that doesn't have protein, have those portable milk packs on hand they're non-perishable. We have them right in the pantry right next to the bars. They can grab and go with those.
[00:08:32] And those have eight grams of protein that they can just suck down all the way to school or on the way to. Really really easy and effortlessly. So that's all the time that we have for today. I could talk about this forever, but as you know, I want these meals made easy Monday episodes to be really. Easy and actionable.
[00:08:49] I want you to go add some of these ideas to your next grocery order or toss them in your cart the next time at the store, so that you are equipped with some fast tacks for easy protein in the mornings, whether you're finishing up the school year or getting into summer, these meals made easy ideas, helping you in any way, or this show is encouraging you and the messages and the mealtimes of motherhood.
[00:09:12] I would love to hear about it all you need to do. I scroll down on apple podcasts and tap, write a review. I check each and every one of these and they truly blessed need to read and to know how the show is helping shape your family's relationship with food so that I can continue to create content that serves you.
[00:09:29] That thank you in advance for taking the time to leave me a review. And I look forward to seeing you back here next time.
